Toy pistol



J. POPPER July 3, `l 923.

TOY PI STOL Filed Sept. 9, 1921 nvencoz c7056 -77 P0 5513 @Mom/wsj 6fm WPatented July 3, 1.923'.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

I JOSEPH POPPER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., .ASSIGNOIL BY DIRECT \AND MESNEASSIGN- MENTS, 0F ONE-HALF TO BAIRD-DANIELS COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OFNEW YORK, N. Y., A. CORPORATION OF yNIV YORK, AND ONE-HALF TO RUBY H'.POPPER,

OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

TOY PISTOL.

Application filed September. 9, l1921. Serial No. 499,552.

To all whom it may concern.:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH Porrnii, a citizen of the vUnited States lofAmerica, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of Neu1York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in rFoy Pistols,of which the following is a specification. This invention relates to toyguns. More particularly the invention relates to a combination toypistol and machine gun.-

The primary object of this invention is to produce a combina-tion toypistol and rapid ire or machine gun which has means forquickly-converting the toy into either a toy pistol capable of firingits ammunition through the agency of a step by step trigger detonatingmechanism, or by firing its ammunition through a high speed dctoniitiiigmechanism. t

A further object of the invention is to produce a toy gun adapted tousel paper tap ammunition preferably of the kind put up in tape or stripform, which tape is in ade into rolls by the manufacturer, and whichrolls are readily placed in posit-ion in the frame of the gun to berapidly fed through the detonating mechanism.

With various other objects in View it is a purpose to produce a toy gunof such simple design and construction as to be economical in themanufacture thereof, and which may be sold at a comparatively low priceto lill an existing demand for a highclass, safe, and pleasing toy.

-An embodiment of my invention is illus trated in the accompanyingdrawings, and though I have described and illustrated one preferred formof construction and operation, I claim a right of protection as to allsuch changes as may obviously7 come within the scope of my invention.

Figure 1 illustrates a side view of the toy un with the cover plateremoved from the frame thereof to expose the internal working parts.

Figure 2 illustrates a cross-sectional view taken on the line 2 2through the handle thereof in Figure 1 looking towards the front end ofthe barrel to show .the Workin mechanism. v

Figure 3 illustrates a sectional View taken on the line 3 3 of Figure 1to show in detail the design and arrangement ofthe convertible rapidfire detonating mechanism.

Figure 4 illustrates a cluster View of an ammunition tape guide, thesaid guide being shown from the edge, from 'the end, and

from the underneath thereof.

Figure shows a perspective view of a toy gunwith particular reference toa novel loop handle into which the operator slips ammunition into thehammer, and a star wheel is utilized to perform the several funictionsof feeding the ammunition to the hammer, of operating the hammer toexplode the ammunition, and is further utilized asatrigger by which thepistol is operated. An iniportant feature of the invention resides inits dual capacity to function either as a toy pistol or a high speedmachine gun, which greatly enhances the value of the toy; and thisfunction is accomplished through the agency of a crank, which may beused at the vwill of the operator, for rotating the star wheel-toproduce a continuous high speed motion of the hammer which causes thegun toemit rapid fire detonations simulating drum fire. As the gun isfired, the used and 'exploded ammunition tape moves forwardly within thebarrel and is discharged from the outer end thereof. This action of thetoygun increases the safety with which it may be used because nodetonations occur nea-r the operators face and no expended ammunitiontape comes -into view at the rear end of the gun to detract from thepleasing appearance of the toy.

Referring now more in particular to the drawings for a detailedconstruction of one practical form of toy gun built after the principlesof this invention, there is shown a frame embodying a handle 7 andbarrel 8. The frame may be constructed in two half sections and joinedtogether, 'or the frame through i which a trigger mechanism or' triggerstar wheel turns, as later described. In one edge of the handle,preferably the back edge thereof, there is made an indentation 10 whichproduces a groove or slot formed in the wall of the handle for the 17 isformed on a hammer reception of a movable crank handle aslater noted.The'frame is cast with a slightly raised portion in the form of an anvil6, and the ammunition tape is fed over this anvil and struck by thehammer to produce the rapid fire detonations.

A combination trigger and feeding device 12, constructed in the form ofa star wheel, is

ljournaled on a pin or screw 14 anchored in the frame. This star wheelhas a plurality of equi-distantly spaced trigger pieces 15 which radiatefrom the hub thereof. Each trigger piece` terminates in a point 16,which point positively pierces and engages the ammunition tape to Vfeedit through the as later described. The radiating .finger pieces 15 arepreferably built so as to bear the resemblance of trigger construc-`tion in ordinary guns; and in this connection, it is to be noted thatthe forward edge curve, or made arcuate so as to conveniently fit theshape of 'the operators finger which presses against this forwardarcuate trigger edge to rotate the star Wheel.

A hammer 19 is pivoted on a pin 20, which pin is anchored in the frame,and the forward end of the hammer is made with a head 21 which strikesthe detonators contained in the ammunition tape. A lug 22 is fixed tothe rear end o'f the hammer 19. A coil spring 23 has one end thereofattached to the rear end of the hammer and the other end thereofanchoredv to the frame down in the handle part 7. The coil spring 23acts to keep the hammer head 21 in contact with the raised anvil portion6. When the hammer 19 is in normal position, with the head 21 in contactagainst the anvil 6 or against the ammunition tape, the aforesaid lug 22is then held in concentric alignment with the outer tip of the triggers15; andsdue to this arrangement, the outer end of eah trigger engagesthe lug 22 and therebyfiictuates the hammer 19 which draws the'rhead 21away from the anvil. When the trigger 15 is pressed rearwardly, the endthereof which picks up the lug 22, drops oil` of the lug,

whereupon thes `pring 23 causes the hammer to return the head againstthe anvil with suiicient striking force to explode the detonatorcontained in the ammunition tape. Upon each firing operation, the trigisin the act of disengaging the lug to aly low the hammer to strike theanvil.

A guiding means is provided to direct the movement of the ammunitiontape between the anvil and the hammer. To this end, a guide consistsofan upper plate 26 and a lower plate 27 having a slight space lefttherebetween just sufiicient to allow the tape to readily movetherethrough. The guide 26 is made from a single piece of light stripmaterial bent in the center as will be understood from an examination ofthe cluster view Figure 4. The upper plate is preferably madecomparatively long reaching from the back edge wall of the pistol frameforwardly Where it terminates close to the anvil 6, and the lower plate27 of the guide is made comparatively short, with a narrow extension 28extending forward terminat ingeven with the upper plate 26. The low- Ierguide 27 is reduced in width, as indicated by the numeral 28, for thepuropse of allowing the pointed star wheel to move against the tapeconfined in the guide; and in the drawings the point of the star whee-lis shown slightly piercing the ammunition tape and moving the sameforward as the head 21 is being retracted from the anvil. A smallportion of the guide plate 27 is cut out which leaves a gap or space inthe plate 27, and a supporting pin fits into this space as laterdescribed. The guide 26 is supported on the rear end thereof by passingit through a slot formed in the frame and bending the ends 29 down onthe frame to hold the guide against longitudinal movement. A pin 30 isanchored in the frame and acts as a support on which the guide 26-27rests, and the said pin is positioned wlthin the gap or space which isleft in the lower guide plate 27. A ypressure leaf or plate spring 31has one end thereof anchored to the frame, as by a rivet 32 or othersuitable means, and the free end of the spring is resiliently andyieldably rested on the back side of the guide. This construction andarrangement of the parts causes the guide to be held in positiveposition on the pin 30 secure. against longitudinal motion, and acts todirect the ammunition tape over the'anvil IIO 6, but allows the guide toyield, fiex, or

move upwardly under the slight displacing action of the trigger fingerV15 each time the said trigger engages the tape.

The back end of the suitably constructed to act as a receiver to hold aroll of ammunition tape B, and the roll of tape is confined on a pin. Inthe drawings the roll of ammunition tape B is unwound with the endthereof passed through the guide 26-27 and under the hammer head 21.

The above description covers the essential l,

points of the toy pistol when used as a pistol only. Facilities areprovided for readily and quickly converting the pistol into a rapid firegun. To this end, the star Wheel 12 is made with an integral hub 35,which has slots 36 formed therein, and these slots are adapted toreceive a locking key as later described. A crank 37 is made withbearing to fit over the hub 35, and the star wheel hub 35 rotates withinthe crank bearing at the time the hub and crank is not locked. A lockingkey 38 is slidably confined in a slot made in the crank and the key isadapted'to move forward into engagement with the slot 36 thereby lockingthe crank 37 to the star wheel 12. The outer free end of this crank 37has a handle piece 39 slidably connected therewith, the arrangementbeing such that the round handle piece 39 may be shoved through thecrank 37 and made to lie in a partly concealed and flush position withinthe indentation 10 made in the pistol frame. When, however, the crank isto be rotated, the handle piece 39 is pushed out so as to expose it onthe operators grasp.

A loop handle 40 is attached to the pistol frame on the side oppositethe crank, This loop is preferably made of leather or other flexiblematerial with one end attached to the top edge of the frame and theother end attached to the lower end of the handle. In this manner theloop handle readily admits the operators hand so that he may slip hispalm through the loop along side the pistol frame and retain his graspon the pistol, yet remove his thumb from the handle thereof in orderthat the crank may be rapidly turned by the operators other hand.

In the operation of this character of toy gun, the ammunition tape ismounted to roll on the pin. and the unrolled end thereof is threadedthrough the guide and placed on the anvil under the hammer head. As theoperator presses the star wheel triggers one after the other, the tapeis fed step by step to the hammer, and the hammer is periodically raisedto strike the detonator in the tape. The timing of the hammer liftingoperation and the forward movement of the tape is such that the hammeris retracted from the anvil at a time slightly in advance of theengagement of the tape by the point frame or barrel is 15 so that thetape will feed straight through the anvil and hammer without crumplingor bending. The points 16, as they engage the tape, pierce the aperthereof and secure a positive hold on t e tapewhereby it is movedforwardly, subsequently to the hammer hav` ing exploded the forwarddetonator near or in the barrel so as to produce the flash and firstsliding the key 38 forward to engage the hubi 35, and then by pullingthe handle piece 39 outwardly where the operator may grasp it forsubjecting the star wheel to high speed rotation. In this latter mode ofoperation, the toy gun produces extraordinary rapid fire simulating theaction of a machine gun which so rapidly feeds the ammunition throughthe detonating mechanism that the roll of caps is quickly used When thecrank is not in use, it lies in parallel proximity to the pistol handleframe so as not to interfere with the use of the top as an ordinarypistol when the operator desires to fire by pressing the triggers.

It is to be noted that the star wheel 12 performs the several functionsof feeding the ammunition tape through the detonating mechanism`operating the hammer, and acting as a trigger by which the pistol isfired. This is an im ortant and novel feature of my invention or it isnew in the art to use a single piece structure to perform the severalfunctions named, so as to avoid the customary ratchet mechanism andmultiplicity of parts used in toy uns now on the market.

Finally it is an additional important and novel feature to produce a toygun which may be either used as a pistol or as a machine gun, and novelmeans of converting the gun lll() to the two uses may be varied inaccordance with the scope of the invention.

I claim- 1. A toy gun comprising in combination,-

mcans for feeding detona-tors, a hammer for exploding the detonators, atrigger wheel adapted to drive the feeding means and operate the hammer,a crank which may be i tape feeder to rapidly fire the n n, and meansrelated with the crank ren erin 1t inoperative by the operator so thate1t er `the aforesaid trigger or the crank may bev used to fire the gun.f u 3. A toy embodying a, pistol and v-apid fire gun inv combination,comprising a frame and barrel structure, an ammunition tape guide, ahammer to detonate'the ammunition as it is fed from the guid a, a starwheel having points which engages the ammunition tape and feeds itthrough the ide to the trigger,and the said starwhee points beingconstructed suitably inthe form of a trigger and moving outwardly beyondthe frame into an exposed position accessible to the operators fingers,a crank mounted outside the frame to work the star wheel, the said crankbeing disposed substantially parallel beside the handlel whereby itconveniently forms a. part of the handlewhen not in use, and a movablehandle piece car;

piece 1n adapted to engage the 'pistol handle am? hold the crank infixed position when not in use.

4. A toy pistol comprising in combination a frame embodying a handle andbarrel structure, ammunition feeding means, a detonating mechanism, acrank to rapidly operate the detonating mechanism, and a loop secured tothe handle of the toy gun into which the operator slips his hand to gripthe n while operating the crank, whereby the gers and thumb areprotected from the vrevolving crank.

5. A top gun comprising in combination a barrel and -haiidle structure,the said vhandle adapted to be gripped between the thumb andthe hand ofthe operator, an ammunition feeding means, a hammer for dety onating theammunition, a crank mounted on the side of the frame to operate thedetonating mechanism, and a strap attached to the handle of the n intowhich the operator slips his hangu so as to remove his thumb and fingersaway from the crank.

6. A toy gun comprising in combination a I frame embodying a, barrel andhandle structure, ammunition feeding means contained in the fra-me, adetonating mechanism to explode the ammunition, a crank mounted on oneside of the frame for operating the mechanism, and a loop strap fixed tothe frame and carried on the side thereof o posite to the aforesaidcrank whereby tllfe operatorl holds the gun in position by slipthecrank, the said movable handlev s ping oiie hand into the loop strawhich 1 embraces the fingers and operates t e'crank with the other hand.

to operate the hammer in a. slow firing man- 'l5 ner, a crank to operatethe hammer in a rapid tiring action, one end of the crank made with ahandle by which it is revolved, the other end of the crank being carriedupon the frame in an operative positionto work the aforesaid hammer,means forming apart of the said last named end of the crank by whichsaid crank is disconnected from the toy gun and rendered removable fromsaid operative osition, and means related with the hand e and barrelstructure into which the operator thrusts his hand in a manner toembrace the fingers and thumb thereof causing the operator to remove hishand from the vicinity of the rotatin crank during the time it iscarried upon t e gun in operative position and thereby guardin theoperators hand from danger of the sa-i rotating crank.

10. A combination toy machine gun and single shot pistol comprising aframe embodying a. handle and barrel structure,I means for feeding capsthrough the barrel and frame, a plurality of rota-ting triggers adaptedto work the said means, a device 100 for successively exploding the capsas in a single shot pistol as by actuating the triggers, a. crank torap-id y actuate the device for producing toy machine gun fire, and anenga-ging means by which the crank is fixed to rotate the ex lodingdevice when in use on the toy and y which it is disconnected when not inuse.

In testimon whereof, I have hereunto set my hand t is 7th day of Sept.,1921, in the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, county of New York,and State of New York.

JOSEPH POPPER.

00 7. A toy pistol comprisin vin combination,

